Creativity Gene

My grandfather built his own plane!

Where did I get my creative gene from?

I was once asked by a client where did I get my creative gene from.

My answer was my mum’s side of the family. Mum is a hairdresser and has always been very creative in her own way. She has a beautiful style when it comes to dressing and our country home growing up had interesting antiques, chandeliers with an edge and furniture with fabrics that made a statement. For example I have just recovered one of her antique sofas in blue velvet leopard print which looks amazing!!

The creative gene also went deeper than that

My grandfather was amazing with his hands. He was also very creative and back in his day when money was scarce if you wanted something you made it. Like my Frankie, fitness was one of the most important things in his life. So one day he decided to start building his own weights, then to my poor Nan's horror a massive gym appeared in the back yard.

He was a gymnast so he not only had weights in it but also split bars (which he would do triple somersaults off), climbing ropes, boxing equipment, rings, pole horse and much more.

From building a gym to building a plane

As time went by the gym again was not enough so he decided to build his own plane. He was a pilot and did fly small planes as a hobby. His favourite plane was the Hawker Hurricane from WW2.

Before Nan knew it massive plans arrived from the States, they were the size of a single bed. He then spent the next 10 years building his new baby in the side garage of their home in Cowra (country NSW).

We would go to visit and spend hours just watching him tinker away in the shed tapping and putting each piece together. At times we would also help him. We all had our own little tool kit so we could help when he needed it. I remember having to climb once into the nose of the plane and hammer nails where he told me because he could not fit.

Finally the plane was finished and it was time to actually fly it and that’s exactly what he did. Every Sunday Pop would fly over to us as we lived 20 minutes away and wake us up. Hawker Hurricanes are very loud and we could hear him coming. We would run out and start waving to him, he would dip his wings, which was his wave back to us and then zoom on his way.

An amazing man who was incredibly talented.

So yes, my creativity does come from my Mum and my Pop and I am so grateful to them.